Downtown Louisville is full of promise — but also full of asphalt. Nearly a quarter of our Central Business District is taken up by barren surface parking lots, many of which sit largely empty day after day. These “missing teeth” leave wide gaps in our urban fabric, holding back the growth, beauty, and walkability that downtown Louisville desperately needs.

Instead of building a city for people, we’ve spent decades prioritizing cars. But times have changed. Fewer people are commuting to downtown offices since the rise of remote work, and the demand for parking is down. Meanwhile, housing shortages, climate change, and economic stagnation are real and growing problems that we can address — if we stop clinging to outdated land use patterns.

Parking lots don’t build communities. They don’t attract tourists, nurture local businesses, or bring joy to residents. But they do fuel dangerous urban heat, worsen air quality, and make our city less walkable and welcoming.

We are calling on Mayor Craig Greenberg, Louisville Metro Council, and the Louisville Downtown Development Corporation to take bold, coordinated action to redevelop underused surface parking lots — especially those already owned by the city. That means:

• Prioritizing affordable and mixed-income housing
• Creating more tree canopy and green space to cool our streets
• Incentivizing infill development that strengthens our economy and community

Louisville has already taken promising steps, including development plans near Slugger Field and along Broadway. But this momentum must be expanded and accelerated. The Mud Lot, the many vacant lots near Broadway, and other dead zones throughout downtown are prime candidates for transformation.

Let’s stop letting empty lots define our city’s future. Let’s build something better — for residents, workers, and future generations.